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Beginner Tips For Fourth Of July Grilling

Aliza Baran
Grilling is a great way to get outside and enjoy a meal but having grill accessories and the most expensive grill will not make the best tasting food.

The Fourth of July is fast approaching. And with COVID-19 infections on the rise once again, many people are looking to their backyards as the best option for celebrating the holiday this year. 

People will be bringing the grills out of the garage and firing them up with hopes of making tasty or at the very least edible treats. To help get us started, Milwaukee Magazine’s Ann Christenson shares some of her grilling tips and tricks.

First, don’t worry about having all the grill accessories. You just need a few household pans, a pair of tongs, and for those new to grilling, she recommends a meat thermometer. Then make sure you have a plan of what you're cooking, prepare any marinades or rubs, and jump in — the best way to learn is by doing. To get practice, she suggests starting out by grilling just for yourself so you won’t be as surprised when it comes time to do it for others.

The enemy of good is perfect. Don’t second guess yourself too much. She says new grillers often start moving things around and trying to get everything perfect. “Don’t move it around, just let it do its thing,” says Christenson.

Use your tongs or another item to test the firmness of meat to know when it’s ready. Avoid splitting meat open to see if it’s done cooking. Often, exterior charring is not the best measure that meat is fully cooked. When it is done, remember to let it sit for a few minutes. Then it's ready to go.

Once you're done grilling, let your grill cool down before cleaning it. “You want to make sure it’s clean, but you need to be really careful that before you store it that it’s completely cooled down,” she says.

Joy is a WUWM host and producer for Lake Effect.
From 2020 to 2021, Jack was WUWM's digital intern and then digital producer.